Tourism companies in the Chapada das Mesas region: characteristics of their managers and indications of management practices

Abstract

The tourism market is comprised of a set of organizations from various segments that offer a variety of products and services to meet tourist demands. In this context, destinations like the Chapada das Mesas Pole, located in the southern part of the state of Maranhão, concentrate a significant number of companies related to the tourism sector. In view of this, the research was applied to 45 managers of these small-sized organizations located in the municipalities of Estreito, Riachão, and Carolina, belonging to the mentioned pole. In light of the above, the objectives were assumed to be: characterizing the profile of their managers, identifying and analyzing their management practices. Methodologically, techniques from exploratory and descriptive research were used, with a quantitative-qualitative approach. Semi-structured questionnaires were employed as the data collection instrument. In summary, regarding the results, it was found that the theoretical foundation points to strategic management of material resources, optimization of activities through strategic actions and personnel qualification, aiming to generate optimization in management processes and competitive advantages for companies and destinations. However, the management practices observed diverge from the assumptions indicated in the consulted literature.